City Hall’s eviction has it in a mix with DJ Tambran

He’s a popular disc jockey and a businessman; DJ Tambran’s name resonates in many quarters throughout the Old Capital. His small business has been located at the Commercial Center for fourteen years but now the current council has reportedly cut his lights and is threatening to throw him out. The DJ ran under the blue ticket in the last city council elections and that may be the source of his worries. When we caught up with him today DJ Tambran claimed his eviction is political because the council wants to take his space to give to a highly-connected person. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Belize City businessman Lennox Young, popularly known as DJ Tambran, has been a fixture at the Commercial Center for well over a decade. Whether it’s the seasonal melodies blaring from inside the music depot or his larger-than-life persona, the former city council candidate is a staple in the downtown area. Tonight, however, he’s facing eviction.

Lennox ‘DJ Tambran’ Young, Business Owner, Commercial Center

“The city council they are trying to get me out of my shop here for quite some time. They are alleging that I owe them rent which I told them, I spoke to all of them, that I suffered damages here for years, which they know about and that exceeded more than what they say I owe them for rent.”

According to Tambran, his issue with the Belize City Council began a few years ago when his equipment, as well as his merchandise, including cassettes, DVDs, CDs and vinyl, were damaged due to a leak in the ceiling.

Lennox ‘DJ Tambran’ Young

“It was from when Zenaida Moya was mayor. We had, I think, a couple days of rain and I suffered some damages with my equipment and my records and CDs, DVDs, miscellaneous items. I approached them, I talked to the guy who was in charge because the city council usually has someone that takes care of this building and they came down and they saw all the damages and they saw what’s going on and they said, ‘We will see what we can do for you Mr. Young” and I’ve been complying with them ever since.”

Despite his patience, the deejay says he has been pushed around repeatedly by the new council. Tambran alleges that CitCo has even gone as far as turning off his lights.

Lennox ‘DJ Tambran’ Young

Lennox ‘DJ Tambran’ Young

“I think it was like the fifteenth of [last] month we had problems with the city council pertaining to my having a stop order to close down my business. They also take my electricity out. That part, the electricity part was mainly, I call it sabotage because the building here has some faulty lines that run to my meter and they discovered it and they said they would’ve fixed it, which they never did. I get a temporary drop line from them just in case that when they are finished with fixing the wires they would give me back my light. All this never happened and on the same day, the fifteenth day, I came to work and I put on my lights, thought that I had it, no lights were there. I found out what happened, the city council’s [C.E.O.] Ms. [Candice] Burke, she gave orders to take out the temporary current from me.”

While Tambran estimates that he has suffered almost fourteen thousand dollars in losses, the Belize City Council claims that he owes a significant amount of money, approximately six thousand dollars, in rent. Tambran is trying to recover his damages by taking CitCo to court.

Lennox ‘DJ Tambran’ Young

“All this is in front of the Supreme Court judge, the whole matter concerning my business, everything, because obviously I need this to be settled. I look at it that Darrell Bradley, which is the mayor now, he’s trying to play cat and mouse with this game because he knows that everything is on the table at the Supreme Court. He, himself, told me and my attorney and even the judge there that they will settle this out of court. He offered even a check to mek we settle this and get this out once and for all. But even with all of that Isani, Darrell Bradley even put to me like, you know what, “if I give you this check you will have to leave. I tell him but, “what kinda talk is that?” I’ve been here for fourteen years.”

Tambran says that he was made an initial offer by the Belize City Council for compensation which he rejected. He then made a counteroffer through attorney Karim Musa that CitCo also flatly refused. According to attorney Alifah Elrington-Hyde, City Hall has taken action against Tambran because he was found to be operating without a trade license and that he is in arrears for years of unpaid rent. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.

10 Responses for “City Hall’s eviction has it in a mix with DJ Tambran”

Just sue the hell out them my man you know they want the space for one of their people sue barrow personally also for the neglect and incompetence of this gov, double up on your suit remember loss of business due to this could be in the thousands of dollars.

cant believe this government after 14 yrs, thats why crime is so high,no black men cant prosper under this government.how can u straight up take a nam bread right out his mouth, they want to c him doing drugs or murdering people,THIS ONE IS PERSONAL AND SICKENING. plus in a month like september.

THAT IS NOTHING NEW. This u.d.p. Goverment the thieve all over protect bums and drugdealers. And if you no like it they look for any excuse to damage your bussines. Here in Corozal they harras my family at a new rest./bar because they open next door to primos. If primos is having a dance all the other bars dont get extencion. The dark lady in charge make sure of that. I dont remember her name but shes like 60 and allways wears small short pants with her skinny legs and big belly.
The crime in Corozal is very bad. Its getting like Belize city. The drug dealers are protected here.

The law should be applied evenly and equally but we know that does not happen in any democratic country; yes even in America. Him knowing that he does not support the in crowd he should have paid his rent! There are those who my not be paying but this does not make it correct.

It’s all political but knowing how business is done down there you should have paid your rent.

it is a conflcit of interest for Alifah to represent the Citco because she is now part of it and as an attorney she shoudl know that. Just the same way Darrell Bradley should know that he cannot be collecting a full salary as mayor and yet during working hours he is arorund the court represeting private clients.. he too cannot be legally representing the council in court – wow hos these young lawyers become corrupt so quickly… and we the fool fool people don’t seem to know that it is nethical what they are doign and that attornyes shoudl knwo that their highest duty as a professional is to avoid CONFLICT OF INTEREST!